Engineering by Market - Aerospace and Defense

Project

Control Electronics

Application

Diesel-Fired Military Tent Heater

Customer Need

MIL-compliant electronic control of all aspects of a military tent heater including start/stop sequence, closed-loop temperature control, fuel/air mixture, fan motor control, power management and battery charging with system power provided by a Thermo-Electric Generator (TEG). Additional requirements included a remote temperature sensor and user-set point input, with CO monitor.

AVID's Solution

Our engineering services extended beyond board and firmware design to satisfy all of the needs listed above as it included system level operational aspects, use cases, diagnostics, addressing unit to unit variations of the burners and TEGs, and corner case conditions. AVID was responsible for the complete board level design, embedded and system firmware, and system verification to Military requirements. AVID assisted in electronics packaging, cable harness design, and release to manufacturing. We also created a real-time executable for the PC that allows test engineers to monitor and modify run-time parameters during system test without the need to reprogram the system.

Value Added or Technologies Applied

• System Operation and Use Case
• Control Architecture
• Hardware and Firmware Design and Implementation
• Prototyping and Validation
• PC Application Development
• System Qualification Support
• Manufacturing Engineering

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Project

Custom Trackball Interface

Application

Control System

Customer Need

An industrial trackball interface that communicates over a proprietary serial channel to a custom MIL-SPEC VME CPU. The trackball electronics transmit actual X-Y position over an SDLC communication channel using a proprietary protocol. All inputs and outputs are isolated.

AVID's Solution

The SDLC channel was implemented in a FPGA which also received the pulses from the trackball and calculated actual position. A SDLC core was purchased and modified for this application.

Value Added or Technologies Applied

• Specification Development
• Product Architecture and IP Evaluation/Acquisition
• VHDL Development
• PCB Design and Implementation
• Product Mechanical Packaging Design and Implementation
• Test Software Development for Validation
• Prototyping and Validation

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Project

Portable Bench Top Test System

Application

Shipboard Control System

Customer Need

Sailors aboard nuclear-powered submarines and ships require the ability to fully test electronic assemblies prior to installing in an operating system. AVID was requested to develop fully automated portable testers that duplicate the factory acceptance testing of 10s of different electronic assemblies. These testers need to be rugged for shipboard uses as well as take up as little physical space as possible.

AVID's Solution

AVID developed a chassis system which included self-storing characterization boards for each unique board to be tested. Various PC programmable test and measurement equipment was used to simulate inputs and monitor outputs. A master test executive PC application program was developed to run the tests and included step by step instructions, pictures, and test logging. The specific test sequence and acceptance criteria are defined by an Excel spreadsheet which allows non-programmers to easily modify the steps or parameters. A final compile function allows the Excel sequence and limits to be built into a single run-time executable to prevent unauthorized changes.

Value Added or Technologies Applied

• Test Specification/System Specification
• Hardware, Mechanical, PC Application Design
• System Prototype and Validation.
• Build-to-Print Drawings and Documentation
• Six Test Systems for Actual Sea Trials

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Project

Wireless Battery Charging

Application

Portable Field Computer for Military

Customer Need

Working with an armed services research lab, AVID created a prototype field-ready rugged portable computer to be used by military personnel. The goal was to eliminate cables and wiring to free the soldier from being bound should the need to move quickly arise. The system included both the computer battery charging electronics and transmitting electronics and coils that allow connection to various power sources such as fuel cells, aux vehicle power, battery banks, generators, etc. without physically connecting with wire. The charging system could also be integrated into clothing, vehicles, field office infrastructure, etc.

AVID's Solution

AVID has years of experience in wireless power design as well as charging circuitry for various battery technology, and this project involved adapting the technology and packaging it for the product. AVID supported the mechanical concepts and performed the complete development of the charging electronics. Using a portable computer supplied to us, AVID integrated the electronics required for power conversion and charging and created the proof of concept prototype. Also the transmitting electronics were packaged such that the research lab could integrate them into the desired medium for the various use cases identified above. This proof of concept platform will be used to demonstrate the technologies and provide opportunities to secure additional research project funding.

• System Architecture Review / Planning
• Hardware and Firmware Design / PCB Layout / Coil Design / Packaging
• Prototyping and Validation
• Project Management

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Project

Wireless Battery Charging

Application

Rechargeable Flashlight

Customer Need

A leading flashlight manufacturer needed assistance in the development of a wireless charging system for a heavy-duty flashlight used in police and military duties as exposed contacts or cords were undesirable for the application. The goal was to insure that the flashlight was always fully charged, primarily being kept in a vehicle. A solution was needed for both the flashlight and a vehicle-based charging dock.

AVID's Solution

AVID has years of experience in wireless power design as well as charging circuitry for various battery technology, and this project involved adapting the technology and packaging it for the product. In this product, the battery was Nickel Metal Hydride. AVID supported the mechanical concepts and performed the complete development of the charging electronics. The base station was designed per automotive standards as it was powered from the vehicle 12V system. An initial 250 units were produced and installed in police cruisers. AVID designed and took the product through automotive qualification for EMC, environmental, and power quality requirements.

• System Architecture Review / Planning
• Hardware and Firmware Design / PCB Layout / Coil Design / Packaging
• Prototyping and Validation
• Certification for Automotive Standards
• Engineering Build Support
• Project Management

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